For Hamilton, “Valtteri deserved the victory”: the top 3 statements in Baku!
The winner of the day is not fooled and believes that his teammate should have won. Also, find reactions from Kimi Räikkönen and Sergio Pérez, second and third at the end of this Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The tide finally turns for the 2017 world champion. Lewis Hamilton had experienced a challenging first three races, marked by a second, third, and fourth place. Despite his consistent performance, a victory was needed to clearly kickstart the season for #44. Mission accomplished, after an unthinkable scenario. The Brit didn’t overtake any direct competitors for the win on the track: he wisely waited for Vettel’s mistake on the last post-Safety Car restart, coupled with Bottas’s puncture three laps from the finish. Lewis Hamilton achieves his 63rd career victory here, the first in Azerbaijan.
First: Lewis Hamilton
« It was a race full of emotions. Valtteri truly deserved the victory, he did an exceptional job today. Sebastian also did a great job, the Ferrari drivers were the fastest all weekend. It feels strange to be on the top step of the podium! »
I never gave up. It reminded me of the lesson my father taught me years ago. He told me to push until things turned in my favor. I am grateful for the opportunity I was given to win a Grand Prix. But my driving today saddened me a little. I struggled this weekend. I have work to do, but I’m leaving on a positive note. 1st win of the season ✅ Championship leader ✅ Not a bad day for @LewisHamilton 💪 #AzerbaijanGP 🇦🇿 #F1 pic.twitter.com/XxVwirNOtw— Formula 1 (@F1) 29 April
Second: Kimi Räikkönen
“ICEMAN” is clearly one of the survivors of this mad race. His Ferrari withstood contact with Ocon in the second turn. He was able to come back from behind, taking advantage of the collision between the two Red Bulls in front of him. He even came close to victory in the final laps. He even managed an overtake on a struggling Vettel in the escape road at the restart of the second safety car. This is already his third podium of the season in three finishes, except for his wheel problem in Bahrain.
« The start wasn’t ideal for me. I was on the inside, and Ocon probably didn’t see me. He turned and I was there. But I didn’t come out of it too badly. »
« It was a difficult race. I tried to climb up the rankings. At certain moments, it was going well, but at others, I struggled to keep the tires at the right temperature. I played up to the end of the race and expected issues. It paid off, but it wasn’t simple. »
Well done #Kimi7 #AzerbaijanGP pic.twitter.com/7rmEiigjQn
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) April 29
Third: Sergio Pérez
Starting sixth on the grid, “Checo” rekindled his romance with Baku. After an initial third place in 2016, the Mexican driver did it again. Astonishing statistic: in three editions in Baku, “Checo” is the only driver to have finished on the podium twice. He is also the first driver outside the top three teams to reach the podium.
These last two laps with cold tires and Sebastian behind me were very difficult. They are certainly the best of my career. I had super soft tires and did my best to stay close to Räikkönen while keeping Vettel behind me. I am speechless.
Latest news: The Mexican driver has been placed under investigation by the race stewards. The reason? Misuse of the DRS, at a time when the activation of the system had been made manual by the FIA, after a technical issue affected race control. Two other drivers have also been summoned by the stewards, Lance Stroll (8th) and Kevin Magnussen (13th).
